The major function of absorbent articles, such as disposable diapers and adult incontinent briefs, is to absorb and contain body exudates. Such articles are thus intended to prevent body exudates from soiling, wetting, or otherwise contaminating clothing or other articles, such as bedding, that come in contact with the wearer. One common mode of failure for such products occurs when body exudates leak out of the gaps between the article and the wearer's leg to adjacent clothing because they are not immediately absorbed within the article. For example, urine tends to wick through the topsheet to the edges of the absorbent article where it can come in contact with clothing or other articles. Additionally, loose fecal material that is not easily absorbed by the absorbent article tends to “float” on the liquid-receiving surface and work its way past the legs of the wearer.
Contemporary absorbent articles have a topsheet, a backsheet, an absorbent core, a barrier cuff and a gasketing cuff. The gasketing cuff proves effective generally to prevent wicking and overflow from the fluid laden article to clothing contacting the edges of the article in that the gasketing cuff presents a fluid impermeable barrier between the edge of the article and the contacting clothing, and in addition, provides a gasketing action about the legs of the wearer. The barrier cuff proves effective generally to inhibit loose fecal material or gushes of urine or liquids from soiling the wearer's clothing. The barrier cuff restrains the free flow of this material and provides a structure to hold such material within the article.
Consumers (wearers and/or caregivers) have come to recognize that the cuffs are an important element to the overall effectiveness of the article. As such, the consumer will have more confidence in an article having additional cuffs. However, while cuffs are essential for containment, consumers are also concerned about comfort and minimizing redmarking caused by too much tension in the elastics of the cuffs. Therefore, what is needed is an absorbent article that communicates both effectiveness and comfort in the cuff region.